The tragic effects of Hurricane Harvey in Houston and surrounding Texas areas have been very heartbreaking. Witnessing residents lose their homes and having to wade through flooded waters in order to find some sort of safe shelter is indescribable. Hurricane Harvey’s fury resulted in more than 50 inches of rain and have left roughly 30,000 people with the need to take shelter. So, when there is even a little bit of hope and light, it is an inspiring sight to see.

If you haven’t heard the names “Chloe x Halle,” then allow me to introduce you! Those familiar with the young and talented duo may have seen them performing acoustic/a cappella versions of hits on social media. One super important person saw them, though: Beyoncé, herself!

Late last year, the talented 20-year actress and musician Zendaya, recently launched Zendaya: The App. Inside the app, she gives fans an exclusive pass into her life and style, along with advocacy support and beauty secrets.

What was the last teenage melodrama you watched on TV? Was it this last, very disappointing season of Pretty Little Liars? Are you a Riverdale fan? Or maybe you relive your younger years with the socialites of the Gossip Girl world. Ever notice anything? Or rather, do you ever notice that you…. well.. don’t notice something?

Grammy-Award winning artist and Houston, Texas native is using her platform to help victims affected by Hurricane Harvey. The singer issued an exclusive statement with the Houston Chron about her plans.

“Passing” is a controversial concept in Black American Culture. We all know someone who is light enough, or has fair enough features to “pass” as white. Often times, these fair skinned family members are complete anomalies in their families. Take Quincy Jones’ daughters for example. Kidada Jones, while she is lighter in skin tone is visibly a black woman. Her younger sister however, Rasheeda, is a more public figure in today's entertainment world and most people don’t know she’s black.

In 2014, Army Regulation 670-1 mandated that soldiers were banned from wearing most natural hairstyles—including “twists, dreadlocks, Afros and braids”-- along with hijabs, religious beards, and turbans while in service.

Having any affiliation to white supremacy and neo-Nazism can cost one their job, with one of the best examples being the rioters in the Charlottesville rally, where many demonstrators were let go from their jobs after being identified on social media.

Your entire life you are exposed to images of hair that shape and transform your perspective of the person you see when you look in the mirror.
That person – you should be happy with her.
You should love her fully, from her crown to her heels.
But sometimes it is hard to do so.
Because a voice in your head constantly reminds you that your hair does not look like the girl on TV. Your curls will never be as defined. As loose. As beautiful.

Over the weekend, CurlyNikki.com was live from Afropunk Fest. While this year featured one of the most impressive lineups to date, there was something else that stole the show at the Brooklyn festival. The fashion!

Check out some of our favorite images from Afropunk below. All photos by Mike Orie for CurlyNikki.com

Your roots are an important part of your hair and can make or break your style. Even if the rest of your look is on point, flat roots can quickly take things from sizzle to fizzle. If things are looking a little flat, here are a few tips to pump up your roots.

Meme queen Quinta Brunson (aka Quinta B) has been making moves for years as a social media influencer. Her viral videos quickly catapulted her career as a black female comedian, which was a rare occurrence at the time. Now, she’s one of the most recognizable faces on the net and was just named one of the Top 15 Rising Crossover Stars in Hollywood by the Hollywood Reporter.

After completely shattering the box offices opening weekend, Girls Trip continue to raise the bar, exceeding any expectations set for the film. To date, the film starring Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett-Smith and the hilarious Tiffany Haddish, has exceeded over $114 million in revenue. Not bad for a film with a $19 million budget.

As a curly, you know the importance of the right products. When you find a product that works for your hair, you cling to it above all others since it most likely took some trial and error to get to that magical place in your hair care product search. When it comes to hairsprays, finding the right one can make you feel like you need a science degree. It doesn’t have to feel that way with our list of the 5 best hairsprays for natural hair!

Gwen Jimmere was 30 days away from her divorce being final when she was laid off from her job. She had to pay the bulk of the attorney fees in the separation, leaving the Detroit, Michigan mom with $32 in her bank account. Her son Caiden was two-years-old.

You’ve asked and it shall be received! Back in 2016, Aaliyah fans petitioned M.A.C. Cosmetics to create an inspired collection on her behalf. This campaign spearheaded immediately after M.A.C. announced its Selena-inspired collection was coming soon.

More than a few naturals have been accused of being product junkies. Whether you just love the anticipation of trying new hair care products, or you are addicted to applying your favorites a little heavy handed, knowing the right amount of product to use is essential for several reasons. If you are going through products too quickly, spending more than you budgeted, or your hair feels heavy and unhealthy, the amount of product you use may be the culprit. While you may be using too much, there’s also a chance you are using too little on other product types so it’s best to know the general rules of thumb for product amounts. Have you ever stopped and wondered, how much product should I be using? If so, let’s take a look at some of the most commonly used products and how much is enough to get the job done.

The NFL may have left Colin Kaepernick behind for taking a stance against police brutality, but his frat brothers got his back!

A huge group of Kappa Alpha Psi gathered together to support Kaepernick during the United We Stand Rally in front of NFL headquarters. Kaepernick was a 2010 initiate of the fraternity, established in 1911.

While a shower cap offers full coverage from water when taking a quick shower, hair nets are a different story. Made with mesh like material and leaving hair more exposed than a full shower cap, a net is definitely not the same principle as a cap. While showering with a hair net has certain benefits, there are also some drawbacks you need to know.

J. Marion Sims may have revolutionized medical care as it pertains to women’s health in the 1800s but the dubious approaches he employed begs the question as to whether a statue should be erected in his honor—that statue is currently standing outside of the New York Academy of Medicine. According to the Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100), Sims’ history reflects a recurring theme of racism and exploitation in American healthcare and therefore needs to come down.

One of the most bittersweet moments of a parent’s life is likely sending off their offspring to college. Though it is a proud moment to see the child you’ve raised head on to pursue higher education, in many cases, they are also going off to live on their own on the school’s campus. Continue Reading

A Change.org petition started by Nathan Coflin wants to replace Portsmouth, Virginia’s Confederate monument with a statue of one of its most successful natives – producer, dancer and rapper Missy Elliott.

It’s no secret that the best way to make money as a musician is to do something other than music. The richest moguls in hip-hop all made their money elsewhere. Jay-Z and Diddy both spend more time managing the careers of other very musicians than actually making their own. Chamillionaire is spending his days investing in tech start ups. 50 Cent is still eating off the Coca-Cola Vitamin Water Deal he made in the late 2000’s. The latest rapper turned investor is none other than Who? MIKE JONES.

While on a tour of Washington D.C., two white New Jersey high school students decided to pay a visit to Howard University's campus to have lunch. The problem is, they decided to show up on an historically Black campus wearing 'Make America Great Again' hats.

Chance the Rapper is a huge proponent of education, having recently donated 30,000 backpacks to Chicago students in celebration of back-to-school season. Well, it looks like Lil’ Chano from 79th desires to attain some advanced knowledge himself because he’s on the hunt for higher education!

If you have coily hair, there are special considerations to make sure your hair stays healthy and beautiful. Whether you are new to being a natural or just looking to tweak your habits, here are a few tips on keeping a successful coily hair care routine.

At age 26, Spelman alumnus and Metro Atlantan Ashley Derby became one of the youngest franchise owners of a Chick-fil-A, when she opened a prime location near the University of Southern California (USC) in 2011. She also became the youngest Black female franchise owner in the company’s history.

We all want a healthy scalp since it is the foundation of good hair. When we start experiencing problems with our scalp, we start to question the products we use and rightfully so. Many of the issues people experience can be caused by the products they use on their scalp, but there is more to it than just that one aspect. Many people think because they use all natural ingredients or natural products, they shouldn’t have any scalp issues. Again, the matter is more complicated than that simple assumption. So, can natural ingredients cause scalp issues? Let’s take a closer look at this question, as well as the relationship between the products we use and the overall health of the scalp.

If you haven't seen the hilarious Girls Trip yet--girl, what are you waiting for?

When four friends–Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah—travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival during a girls trip, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered, and there’s enough dancing, drinking, brawling and romancing to make the Big Easy blush.

Several blogs have been whispering about the possibility of Gina Torres reviving her character Jessica Pearson from the long running USA drama Suits in her own independent spinoff. As of August 16th, it's official!

Black Girl Magic is dominating Instagram. Models are taking advantage of this social media platform to showcase their beauty and diversity. Of course these are not regular bathroom selfies, their photos are worthy of any magazine cover.

When Issa Rae made the leap from YouTube sensation to bonafide HBO star, millennials rejoiced. We saw Issa go from Awkward Black Girl to Hollywood, red carpets, awards shows, and interviews -- but one thing we didn't see her go for was protection on her hit show, Insecure.

Inspired by her personal experiences and cases across the country, Berkeley Law professor Angela Onwuachi-Willig is using her expertise to fight against and eliminate hairstyle policies that discriminate against Black girls and women.

To exist and be accepted as we were created is a battle the Black community has been fighting for years, and it is one we are still in the midst of.

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